In a significant ruling, an appeals court in Bamako, Mali, has upheld the two-year prison sentence of former Prime Minister Moussa Mara. This decision highlights the military junta's persistent efforts to stifle dissenting voices and restrict free expression within the country. The court confirmed the sentence previously imposed by the national cybercrime court, which includes one year of incarceration without parole and another year suspended, alongside a hefty fine of approximately US$907.

Mara was arrested in August 2025 after he publicly voiced his support for political prisoners and visited critics of the junta who were imprisoned, actions deemed by the authorities as "undermining state authority" and "inciting public disorder." Throughout the investigation, his legal team argued that the prosecution failed to provide adequate evidence to substantiate the charges against him, reflecting broader concerns over judicial independence and fairness in Mali's legal proceedings.

The continued imprisonment of notable political figures like Mara raises serious questions about the state of democracy and human rights in Mali under military rule. Observers fear that such actions not only deter public dissent but also signal an alarming trend towards authoritarianism, whereby the junta seeks to eliminate any form of opposition or criticism, reinforcing its grip on power amid a volatile political landscape.